Manager of School-Based Mental Health Services

BUILD Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with employer match

Health Insurance

Life Insurance

Paid Vacation and Wellness Days

FSA

Job summary

BUILD, Inc. in Chicago is seeking a Manager of School-Based Mental Health Services to lead the department supervising therapists delivering in-school and partner-site services.

The role emphasizes trauma-informed care, cultural responsiveness, and alignment with best practices in youth mental health. You will guide service quality, staff development, and interdisciplinary collaboration across multiple campuses, coordinating with mentorship and care teams to improve academic, social, and

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social work, counseling, psychology, or related field.
• Illinois clinical license (LCSW, LCPC, or Clinical Psychologist preferred; license-eligible applicants may be considered).
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience supervising mental health professionals, preferably in school-based or youth-serving environments.
• Deep understanding of trauma-informed care, adolescent development, and school mental health frameworks.
• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate with school personnel, youth, and families.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical supervision to all school-based therapists, regardless of program affiliation.
• Conduct weekly individual and team supervision to support clinical growth and adherence to trauma-informed practices.
• Ensure therapists are meeting documentation, compliance, and service delivery standards.
• Conduct regular school site visits to observe services, support staff, and ensure program fidelity.
• Oversee implementation of individual, group, and family interventions at school sites.
• Ensure services are aligned with student needs and school priorities, with attention to academic, social, and emotional outcomes.
• Serve as a liaison to school administrators and staff to ensure smooth integration of therapeutic services.
• Partner with the Manager of School-Based Mentorship to co-lead integration between clinical and mentoring services.
• Support interdisciplinary care planning between therapists and mentors, particularly within BB2M and BG2W.
• Participate in cross-functional meetings and school-based care teams.
• Review and audit clinical documentation for accuracy and timeliness.
• Track caseload data, service hours, treatment goals, and youth engagement outcomes.
• Use data to inform supervision, training needs, and program improvement.
• Ensure compliance with agency, school district, and funder expectations.
• Lead onboarding and orientation for all school-based clinical staff.
• Provide monthly professional development on trauma-informed care, school-based systems, and cultural responsiveness.
• Support ongoing clinical skill-building through reflective supervision and case consultation.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Skills

Trauma-informed care

Staff supervision

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Documentation

Education

Master’s degree (SSW/related)

Illinois license eligible (LCSW/LCPC/psychologist)

Tools

EHR systems

Job description

About BUILD, Inc.

BUILD (Broader Urban Involvement and Leadership Development) is a nationally respected nonprofit based on Chicago’s West Side. Since 1969, BUILD has focused on violence prevention, gang intervention, and youth development, mentoring young people and supporting families in some of the city’s most under-resourced communities.

Description

Full-Time (40 hours/week), Exempt

Chicago, IL

Position Overview

The Manager of School-Based Mental Health Services is a clinical leadership role within BUILD’s Mental Health and Therapeutic Services Department. This position is responsible for supervising all therapists who provide mental health services in school settings as well as therapists placed at schools outside those initiatives. The manager ensures that all school-based therapy services are trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and aligned with best practices in youth mental health. This position plays a central role in supporting service quality, staff development, and interdisciplinary collaboration across multiple school campuses.

Key Responsibilities

• Supervision & Clinical Oversight
• Provide clinical supervision to all school-based therapists, regardless of program affiliation (e.g., BB2M, BG2W, or general school-based placements).
• Conduct weekly individual and team supervision to support clinical growth and adherence to trauma-informed practices.
• Ensure therapists are meeting documentation, compliance, and service delivery standards.
• Conduct regular school site visits to observe services, support staff, and ensure program fidelity.
• School-Based Service Management
• Oversee implementation of individual, group, and family interventions at school sites.
• Ensure services are aligned with student needs and school priorities, with attention to academic, social, and emotional outcomes.
• Serve as a liaison to school administrators and staff to ensure smooth integration of therapeutic services.
• Coordination with Mentorship Programs
• Partner with the Manager of School-Based Mentorship to co-lead integration between clinical and mentoring services.
• Support interdisciplinary care planning between therapists and mentors, particularly within BB2M and BG2W.
• Participate in cross-functional meetings and school-based care teams.
• Quality Assurance, Compliance & Reporting
• Review and audit clinical documentation for accuracy and timeliness.
• Track caseload data, service hours, treatment goals, and youth engagement outcomes.
• Use data to inform supervision, training needs, and program improvement.
• Ensure compliance with agency, school district, and funder expectations.
• Training & Professional Development
• Lead onboarding and orientation for all school-based clinical staff.
• Provide monthly professional development on trauma-informed care, school-based systems, and cultural responsiveness.
• Support ongoing clinical skill-building through reflective supervision and case consultation.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in social work, Counseling, Psychology, or related field (required)
• Illinois clinical license (LCSW, LCPC, or Clinical Psychologist preferred; license-eligible applicants may be considered)
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience supervising mental health professionals, preferably in school-based or youth-serving environments
• Deep understanding of trauma-informed care, adolescent development, and school mental health frameworks
• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate with school personnel, youth, and families
• Skilled in documentation, data tracking, and compliance
• Ability to travel regularly to multiple school sites across Chicago is required

Benefits

• 401(k) with 2% employer match
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Paid Vacation and Wellness Days
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Statement:

External and internal applicants, as well as position incumbents who become disabled, must be able to perform the essential job specific functions (listed within each job responsibility) either unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation to be determined by the organization on a case-by-case basis.

BUILD, Inc., does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, citizenship, ethnic or national origin, age, disability, medical status, military status, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, ancestry, or any legally protected status. This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits and training.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically prohibit employment. Rather, BUILD Inc., considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

This organization reserves the right to revise or change job duties and responsibilities as the need arises. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.